CVE-2026-90084

Kernel crash via VF workqueue lifecycle race

Published Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Sep 17, 2026

A workqueue race in Linux octeontx2-vf allows local users to crash the kernel during network-device registration or removal. The ndo_set_rx_mode callback queues work before the VF workqueue is initialized, while removal destroys that queue before unregistering the network device. Exposure requires the affected VF driver and a race with probe or removal; no remote packet-triggered path is documented.

CVSS severity4.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Oct 19, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A workqueue race in Linux octeontx2-vf allows local users to crash the kernel during network-device registration or removal. The ndo_set_rx_mode callback queues work before the VF workqueue is initialized, while removal destroys that queue before unregistering the network device. Exposure requires the affected VF driver and a race with probe or removal; no remote packet-triggered path is documented.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-90084
Published
Sep 17, 2026
Updated
Sep 17, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 17, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.14
  2. Affected versionversion=cbc100aa220556d056272f07dc735c9758089da9 <3ba97ff4f873481d370bee7f7dfb87f8296af9be
  3. Affected versionversion=cbc100aa220556d056272f07dc735c9758089da9 <42a139332ce81a907dac987f1494d30e0a8ab149
  4. Affected versionversion=cbc100aa220556d056272f07dc735c9758089da9 <ef42c9e922dfa806576d9d82867da2f3cd76b3ca

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.14; version=cbc100aa220556d056272f07dc735c9758089da9 <3ba97ff4f873481d370bee7f7dfb87f8296af9be; version=cbc100aa220556d056272f07dc735c9758089da9 <42a139332ce81a907dac987f1494d30e0a8ab149; version=cbc100aa220556d056272f07dc735c9758089da9 <ef42c9e922dfa806576d9d82867da2f3cd76b3ca

Published CVSS scores

5.5TenableCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.3TenableAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:C/A:C
5.1Tenable NessusCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H/E:U/RL:U/RC:C
5.5Tenable NessusCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.7Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.6Tenable NessusAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:C/A:C

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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